Climate boost as China's CO2 emissions fall

Summary

Global News Podcast — "Climate Boost as China's CO2 Emissions Fall" (Feb 12, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode covers breaking global news with an emphasis on China’s first-ever annual drop in carbon dioxide emissions—a potential turning point in global efforts to combat climate change. Other stories include a Ukrainian Olympian’s protest and disqualification, Russia’s crackdown on WhatsApp, developments in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, succession speculations in North Korea, the devastating cyclone in Madagascar, the impact of AI on jobs, and a tribute to the late actor James Van Der Beek.

---

1. Climate Milestone: China’s CO2 Emissions Fall

Segment starts at [02:24]

Key Points & Insights

• First Ever Decline: China’s annual carbon emissions have dropped for the first time—by 0.3%. It’s a small decrease, but given China’s status as the world’s biggest emitter, it’s significant.

  “The first year ever China emissions have actually fallen back. They've fallen back by 0.3%. Now, that really, really doesn't sound much, but what we're seeing is a background of falling emissions for almost two years now.”
  — Justin Rowlatt ([02:58])

• Peaking or True Decline?
  This drop may mark the long-sought "peak" in China’s emissions, but considerable uncertainty remains—it could be reversed by a surge in industrial activity (like increased cement usage).

• Sector Breakdown:

  • Declines: Transport, power generation, cement
  • Increases: Chemical industry
  • Net result: Slight overall decrease, but situation remains "finely balanced." ([03:58])

• Policy Context:

  • China set a goal of peaking emissions by 2030, but while total emissions may have plateaued, carbon efficiency (emissions per unit of production) still lags behind targets.

  "In terms of carbon efficiency...it's actually way behind its ambitions and is struggling to meet the target set in its 14th Five Year Plan."
  — Justin Rowlatt ([04:58])

• Drivers of Clean Energy Shift:

  • Early recognition of climate risk
  • Severe water insecurity in China
  • Desire to pioneer global clean technology markets (e.g., solar)
  • Deliberate knowledge import and manufacturing prowess

  "China wanted to pioneer new industries...They sent out graduates...brought that knowledge back and set up new companies in the early 2000s to build solar panels."
  — Justin Rowlatt ([05:42])

Notable Quotes

• “What happens in China literally in this case could change the weather for the rest of the world.”
  — Justin Rowlatt ([03:24])
• “This looks like an interesting moment in the Chinese economy. Looks like an interesting moment for world emissions.”
  — Justin Rowlatt ([04:41])

---

2. Ukrainian Olympian Banned Over Protest Helmet

Segment starts at [06:35]

Key Points & Insights

• Incident:
  • Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladislav Hreskovic was disqualified from the Winter Olympics for intending to wear a helmet honoring athletes killed by Russia.
  • IOC cited breach of rules against political statements.
• Athlete’s Response:
  Hreskovic compared his tribute to other athletes’ personal gestures, highlighting perceived inconsistencies.

  “I could be among the medalists in this event, but suddenly because of some interpretation of the rules, which I do not agree with, I'm not able to compete, while other athletes in the same situation were able to compete and didn't face any sanctions.”
  — Vladislav Hreskovic ([08:36])

• Report context:
  • No compromise reached despite IOC discussions.
  • Broader context: sports, war, and global political messaging.

---

3. Russia Blocks WhatsApp, Pushes State App

Segment starts at [08:46]

Key Points & Insights

• Ban Confirmed:
  • WhatsApp, with 100+ million Russian users, is blocked; users pressured to switch to “MAX”—a Kremlin-approved, less secure messenger.
• Public Reluctance:
  • Despite government pressure, users skeptical; concerns over data privacy and surveillance abound.

  “A lot of IT specialists raised significant concerns about, you know, data breaches. It's unclear how much authorities can see and sync through that messenger.”
  — Olga Evshina ([09:44])

• Broader Censorship:
  • Since the Ukraine war's start, Russia has intensified internet controls and media censorship.
• Kremlin’s Communication Strategy:
  • Blocking alternatives and slowing them down (including Telegram) is seen as part of a wider effort to centralize online discourse.

---

4. Epstein Victim Calls for Royal Accountability

Segment starts at [11:20]

Key Points & Insights

• Juliet Bryant’s Experience:
  • Calls for British royal family to take concrete actions—specifically, searching Prince Andrew’s emails, and reaching out to victims.
• Emotional Impact:

  “I feel...vindicated in one way, but then other ways, I feel just shattered because...it's even darker than what I realized.”
  — Juliet Bryant ([12:13])

• Frustration with Ghislaine Maxwell’s Silence:

  “It's just ridiculous...if someone's going to plead the Fifth, why are they even going to bother? I think they've wasted a lot of people's time.”
  — Juliet Bryant ([13:08])

• Manipulation & Abuse:

  “He was a mastermind criminal...He had a way of manipulating people and he also made me feel like it was my fault.”
  — Juliet Bryant ([13:47])

• Hope for Change:
  • Urges others to come forward; King Charles has expressed sympathy for victims.

---

5. North Korea: Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Named Heir?

Segment starts at [14:57]

Key Points & Insights

• Successor Reports:
  • South Korean intelligence claims Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter (about 13–14) is his chosen heir.
• Unusual Public Role:
  • Seen publicly at banquets, missile launches; breaks strict norms (long hair, designer clothes).
• Succession Questions:
  • Early announcement unusual (Kim Jong Un chosen just before his own father’s death).
  • Speculation about other children—especially a son—remains unresolved.

  “She is probably one of the most privileged teenagers in the world right now...Now she seems to be internally decided to become the heir and inherit North Korea from her father.”
  — Jake Kwon ([15:25])

---

6. Madagascar: Cyclone Devastation

Segment starts at [17:19]

Key Points & Insights

• Human Cost:
  • Over 35 dead; 75% of infrastructure destroyed in Tamatavi.
• First-person Testimony:

  “Kamatavi is almost destroyed by the cyclone...Almost the houses are destroyed. The university, the school, the hospital, everything.”
  — Denise, local resident ([17:46])

• Relief Efforts:
  • Major logistical challenges: roads impassable, slow aid delivery.
  • President appeals for international help.

---

7. Viral AI Article: Panic or Perspective?

Segment starts at [19:52]

Key Points & Insights

• Matt Schumer’s Viral Letter:
  • Warns that AI will upend jobs dramatically and fast.
  • Stephanie Hare (BBC AI analyst) critiques its “breathless” tone and commercial undertone (promoting paid tools).
• AI Hype & Reality:

  “There are ways that you can be using AI...that are not so hysterical and breathless as what you're going to read in this article.”
  — Stephanie Hare ([20:54])

• Why Such Articles Go Viral:
  • Invested interests need to “keep the party going.”
  • Public fears about AI’s job impact and the prospect of economic bubbles.
• Realistic Assessment:

  “It's going to do a lot of tasks for people, but it's not going to be taking everybody's job and it's definitely not going to be doing it in this sort of short...Even to medium-term time frame.”
  — Stephanie Hare ([23:06])

  • Global usage is far from universal; many companies still only experimenting.

---

8. Remembering James Van Der Beek (1977–2026)

Segment starts at [24:09]

Key Points & Insights

• Legacy:
  • Star of "Dawson’s Creek," remembered as a defining face of late-90s television.
  • Became a cultural icon (notably “cry face” meme), and later advocated for cancer screening after his own diagnosis.
• Tributes:

  “He took this character that was not...the cool kid in high school and made him lovable and that was not afraid to be emotional. Something a lot of men on TV...it's frowned upon. And James Van Der Beek was able to do that with such eloquence.”
  — Emily Longeretta ([26:13])

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------------|------------| | China’s CO2 Emissions Decline (lead story) | 02:24 | | Ukrainian Olympian Disqualified Over Protest Helmet | 06:35 | | Russia Blocks WhatsApp | 08:46 | | Epstein Case: Victim Calls for Royal Action | 11:20 | | North Korea: Kim’s Daughter Named Heir | 14:57 | | Madagascar Cyclone | 17:19 | | AI & The Viral “Panic” Article | 19:52 | | James Van Der Beek Tribute | 24:09 |

---

Memorable Quotes

• “What happens in China literally in this case could change the weather for the rest of the world.” — Justin Rowlatt ([03:24])
• “I just hope they're not just saying this. I would like to see them actually taking action.” — Juliet Bryant ([12:39])
• “She is probably one of the most privileged teenagers in the world right now...to inherit this country that is really dedicated, entirely dedicated for the well-being of just one person at the top.” — Jake Kwon ([15:25])
• “There are ways that you can be using AI...that are not so hysterical and breathless as what you're going to read in this article.” — Stephanie Hare ([20:54])

---

This summary captures the episode’s major themes, key developments, expert commentary, and unique moments—providing an engaging and concise guide for anyone who missed the broadcast.

Transcript

[Justin Rowlatt]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

If you're an H Vac technician and.

[Grainger Advertiser]

A call comes in, Grainger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product fast and hassle free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a sweat. With Grainger's easy to use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-granger clickgranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. Looking for a game that's fun, relaxing and gives classic solitaire a fresh twist? Solitaire Clash, spelled C L A S H bring skill, speed and strategy together in a way that makes every round feel rewarding. It's not just solitaire as you know it, it's solitaire elevated with competitive modes and even the chance to win real cash in the middle of a busy day, it's more important than ever to carve out a mom for yourself. Whether it's during a commute, while waiting for a ride, or taking a quick pause to breathe, Solitaire Clash offers a simple, satisfying escape. A couple fast rounds can calm your mind, challenge your focus, and give you that little boost you didn't realize you needed. It's perfect for those in between moments familiar enough to jump right in, but dynamic enough to keep things interesting. Each match is quick, skill driven and packed with that just one more game feeling. So if it's been a while, take a moment to open Solitaire Clash.

[Stephanie Hare]

Play.

[Grainger Advertiser]

A few rounds, unwind and enjoy the fun. And maybe even win a little while you're at it.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Charlotte Gallagher and at 16 hours GMT on Thursday 12th February, these are our main stories. China's annual carbon emissions have fallen for the first time, raising hope they may have peaked. And Ukrainian skeleton Bob Racer is disqualified from the Winter Olympics for planning to compete wearing a helmet depicting athletes killed by Russia. Also in this podcast, a woman abused by Jeffrey Epstein calls on the British royal family to do more.

[Juliet Bryant]

They can contact me and the other victims they can contact. The thing is, I just hope they're not just saying this. I would like to see them actually taking action.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And has the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chosen his teenage daughter as his heir? China may still be the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide, but levels have been falling due to a push for clean energy and now new data says 2025 was the first full year to show a decline. The reported drop in emissions is small, but campaigners say it could be a milestone. Our climate editor Justin Rowlatt spoke to Oliver Conway about the figures.

[Justin Rowlatt]

The first year ever China emissions have actually fallen back. They've fallen back by 0.3%. Now, that really, really doesn't sound much, but what we're seeing it is against a background of level of falling emissions for almost two years now, for 21 months, in fact, they sort of peaked in kind of spring of 2024 and then have fallen back a bit more significantly since then. So what people are saying is, and look, it's couched around with caveats, but it appears we might be seeing the beginning of, of certainly peaking of emissions in China and possibly even the beginning of a decline in emissions in China. Set that in context. China is far and away the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, the biggest greenhouse gas, I mean, overwhelmingly a third of all emissions come from China. So what happens in China literally in this case could change the weather for the rest of the world. Yeah, you mentioned caveats. There is a margin of error on some of this, but take us through.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Which sectors have contributed to it.

[Justin Rowlatt]

So what we're seeing is a fall in emissions in transport, power, cement. So huge sectors of the Chinese economy balanced against that. We're seeing an increase in emissions from the chemical industry, but overall the net is a slight decrease. So that gives you a sense, I think, of how finely balanced this is. You know, most sectors in slow decline, one sector increasing quite significantly. So, you know, if one of those other sectors changed direction, if, for example, there was a bit of a building boom in China, started using a lot more cement, because use of cement has fallen back, you might see emissions push upwards again. So we're not saying definitively China's reached the peak and it's going to decline. We're saying, oof. This looks like an interesting moment in the Chinese economy. Looks like an interesting moment for world emissions, kind of. Let's see what happens.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Yeah. Because it has a goal of reaching peak emissions by 2030. I was going to ask you if.

[Justin Rowlatt]

This progress could be reversed.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

You suggest. Yes, but is China broadly on track?

[Justin Rowlatt]

Broadly on track in terms of peaking in terms of carbon efficiency, how much carbon dioxide is emitted per unit of production? It's actually way behind its ambitions and is struggling to meet the target set in its 14th Five Year Plan. And then we're expecting it to struggle to meet the 15th, five year plan having missed the 14th five year plan. So it's behind on one measure. But in terms of total emissions we're seeing this levelling potential peak, maybe even the beginning of a fall. So basically on the key measures know that should concern us sitting back in the world looking at what's happening. Yeah, this is, this is appears to be possibly a significant moment, so beginning to maybe go in the right direction.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

What is behind China's push towards clean energy?

[Justin Rowlatt]

China a long time ago, 20 years ago or so recognized a few things, one of which was that climate change was a really serious threat for China. That China's very water insecure, very big shortage of water, climate change was going to affect his agriculture. You know, everything in China was vulnerable to climate change. They needed to do something about that. China wanted to pioneer new industries and it saw an opportunity in this kind of nascent, this, this emerging clean technology industry. So for example, solar power. China sent out graduates to places in the developed world that were pioneering solar power and then brought the technology, brought that knowledge back and set up in the early 2000s new, new companies to build solar panels. China has an amazing expertise at efficient manufacturing and it brought that to bear on this challenge of prod clean technology and has delivered unbelievable results.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And for more on this story you can go on YouTube, search for BBC News, click on the logo, then choose Podcasts and Global News Podcast. There's a new story available every weekday. The Ukrainian skeleton racer banned from competing in the Winter Olympics has said he still doesn't understand which rule he violated. The IOC says it withdrew Vladislav Haras accreditation because he intended to wear a helmet featuring athletes killed in Russia's war on his country. Our reporter Sarah Mulcarons told us more.

[Sarah Mulcarons]

It's been ongoing since Monday here in Italy when on this first this initial training run, the Ukrainian skeleton, an athlete wore the helmet. It features images of athletes killed during Russia's invasion of his home country. The IOC have been in conversation with Herskovic and his father Mykhailov since then about reaching a compromise to allow him to race because the IOC says the helmet breaks its rules regarding political statements in the field of competition. He was told he couldn't wear it, but he could wear a black armband instead. However, the athlete did not agree with this, insisting that his tribute is no different to those that some other athletes have displayed during these games, such as figure skater Maxim Nomov. He held up a photo of his parents who were among 67 people killed in a plane crash in Washington D.C. just over a year ago. And he held that up while waiting for a score to be announced earlier this week. Now, this morning, the IOC president, Kirsty Coventry met Areskovich for more conversations with the athlete just prior to his event. But no agreement could be reached. And so the skeleton racer was banned. He could not compete. Responding to this on social media, he wrote that this is the price of our dignity. And he also spoke to, to the BBC about the situation.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Emptiness and yesterday was amazing training. Before yesterday was also very good training. I could be among the medalists in.

[Justin Rowlatt]

This event, but suddenly because of some.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Interpretation of the rules, which I'm not agree with, I'm not able to compete. While other athletes in the same situation.

[Olga Evshina]

Were able to compete and they didn't face any sanctions.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Vladislav Hreskovic, ending that report from Sarah Mulcahrens. The messaging service WhatsApp is very popular in Russia. The company says it has more than 100 million users there. But the Russian authorities have confirmed today that they're blocking it. Critics say the move is aimed at pushing its users onto a state owned app, which is seen as less secure. Olga Evshina from BBC Russian has been telling us what the Kremlin says are the reasons for its decision.

[Olga Evshina]

As always, you know, they say that the companies are not following the regulations, not cooperating enough with the Russian authorities, to be honest. WhatsApp has been significantly slowed down for several weeks now and actually people were quickly migrating to other messengers which in turn have been slowed down or blocked as well.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

So is there a reluctance from a lot of Russians to join this state backed platform? They want to use other ones that they see as more independent.

[Olga Evshina]

Yes, so exactly as you mentioned, you know, it seems that all these big trouble started after the Kremlin has introduced its approved messenger called max. And they are strongly, strongly, strongly encouraging everyone to join, also using, so to say, administrative resource. So many like school chats, kindergarten chats where teachers informed parents about certain things have been moved to max. So people sort of have to join. On the other hand, people are very much reluctant because there were a lot of independent reviews about MAX and a lot of IT specialists raised significant concerns about, you know, data breaches. And like it's, it's unclear how much authorities can see and sync through that messenger. So yeah, Russians are trying to use alternative messages, but they're being slowed down or blocked. So the biggest news of yesterday for the Russian speakers, for people inside Russia, was the fact that Telegram, another very popular messenger where many people moved after WhatsApp was slowed down Telegram. It was significantly slowed down yesterday. And some experts believe that that's all part of the big strategy of the Kremlin.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And is there a feeling that since the start of the Ukraine war, people's Internet use in Russia is being more surveilled?

[Olga Evshina]

Yes, definitely. You know, since the start of the invasion, Kremlin has introduced draconian laws restricting freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and also in introducing de facto censorship in the media. That's why people migrated to other platforms, including Telegram, where a lot of independent journalists or bloggers were posting the news. So people trying to diversify their access to information, but they're meeting significant pressure from the Kremlin.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Olga Evshina from BBC Russian. The actions and the friends of the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein continue to make headlines around the world. We've also been hearing from one of his many victims. Juliet Bryant, who's a former model from South Africa, was groomed and abused by Epstein from 2002 to 2004. She says if the British royal family are concerned for his victims, they should take action. By helping to search the emails of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who lost his royal titles over his relationship with Epstein, she's been speaking to the BBC's Miani Jones.

[Juliet Bryant]

Yeah, that was the model apartment they had.

[Olga Evshina]

Okay.

[Juliet Bryant]

And then.

[Olga Evshina]

Although it's been over 20 years since she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Juliet Bryant still remembers that period vividly. And a recent release of some 3 million files relating to the convicted pedophile has thrust her into the limelight once more.

[Juliet Bryant]

I. I feel, I suppose, vindicated in one way, but then other ways, I feel just shattered because I was almost hoping that it wasn't going to all be true. And also, the deeper, you know, it's even darker than what I realized, which has been very, very hard to deal with emotionally.

[Olga Evshina]

She's also critical of the royal family's response to the crisis, which has led to Andrew Malbaton Windsor losing his title. He's denied any wrongdoing.

[Juliet Bryant]

Well, I think it's great that they've made a statement finally, but the thing is, are they going to actually act on it? I'm well willing to speak to them anytime, you know, anywhere I can help so they can contact me and the other victims they can contact. The thing is, I just hope they're not just saying this. I would like to see them actually taking action.

[Olga Evshina]

Ghislaine Maxwell is a character that was central to Jeffrey Epstein's operation. She recently made a deposition in the US where she pleaded the fifth. What was your reaction when you saw that?

[Juliet Bryant]

I think it's just ridiculous. You know, after they say that she's going to be giving a testimony and everyone's waiting, it's much like when they said they were going to release the files before and then they give the testimony and it's just like they may as well have not even done it because if someone's going to plead the Fifth, why are they even going to bother? Because everyone was waiting for the information. And so I just think they've wasted a lot of people's time. And I think it's really about time that she started speaking out, you know, for her own, you know, personal benefit. Because I think anyone who is involved in this will be going to hell.

[Olga Evshina]

Juliet was just 20 years old when she met Jeffrey Epstein and says she was abused by him from 2002 to 2004. She says she kept going back to him because she feared for her life.

[Juliet Bryant]

He was a mastermind criminal. It was, you know, he was highly manipulative. And for a 20 year old, meeting someone who was. He was 49 at the time. You know, I wasn't able to, you know, deal with the situation as many of the other young girls weren't. You know, it was also a lot of girls created a sort of Stockholm syndrome where they believed that he cared about them and was going to help. It was like being like a scared mouse around a snake, being around him. And, you know, he had a way of manipulating people and he also made me feel like it was my fault.

[Olga Evshina]

She hopes other victims will come forward and that those mentioned in the files will testify before the US Authorities. King Charles has expressed concern over the allegations against his brother and says his thoughts remain with the victims.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Mahony Jones reporting from South Africa. Still to come in this podcast, we remember the life and career of Dawson's Creek star James Van De Beek.

[Emily Longeretta]

He took this character that was not, you know, a jock, was not the cool kid in high school and made him lovable and that was not afraid to be emotional.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has never officially confirmed how many children he has. But since 2022, a young daughter has been seen attending public events like banquets and missile launches. Now, South Korea's intelligence agency says that daughter, believed to be 13 or 14 years old, has been selected as his heir and is in the process of becoming the country's next leader. Our correspondent in Seoul, Jake Kwon, told me more.

[Jake Kwon]

She is the only known child of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, and she is probably One of the most privileged teenagers in the world right now. Anytime we see her on television, she is wearing her hair long, which is usually forbidden for school age young women in North Korea. She is wearing designer clothes, which is out of reach for most North Korean people. And she is on the line to inherit this country that is really dedicated, entirely dedicated for the well being of just one person at the top. And now what we are hearing from South Korea's spy agency is that she seemed to be, she was grooming to be a next heir, but now she seems to be internally decided to become the heir and inherit North Korea from her father. Now, her father is only around in his early 40s, likely 42, but it has been a big mystery and a lot of a matter of speculation who is going to take over North Korea when he passes. Now, this question of who is going to inherit, of course, is something that the spy agency has been talking about for the past years. And now we're getting even more definitive answer on what their latest belief is. But this also raises a lot more question. One question is, of course, why now when Kim Jong Un was selected as the heir? This was just before his father, Kim Jong Il, was going to pass. So it really seems a lot early. And also it also leaves us the question of what about Kim Jong Un's other children? We understand he also has a son who hasn't been seen on television. So what is going to happen to this older elder son who is widely speculated to be the next heir in a country like North Korea, where male heirs are more valued than a female, a daughter? So just like a lot of things in North Korea, when one question is answered, a lot more questions start popping up.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Jake Kwon reporting from Seoul. In Madagascar, more than 35 people have died after a tropical cyclone with winds of 250 km per hour hit the island nation. The country's president has visited the country's second biggest city, Thomasin, also known as Tamatavi, and said 75% of its infrastructure has been destroyed. One of those affected is Denise, whose family home was damaged in the storm.

[Juliet Bryant]

Kamatavi is almost destroyed by the cyclone and we had almost six hours of strong winds and heavy rain. I was with my family in the house, the house. I can't say it's a strong house, but the house were trembling, like trembling. Really, really trembling. And the windows, bricks and lots of water, lots of water in the house. Almost the house are destroyed. The university, the school, the hospital, everything.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Our correspondent Richard Kogoi gave us this.

[Richard Kagoi]

Update from Nairobi the city Thomasin, which you just mentioned, a city of about 400,000 people, has been devastated. Roads have been cut off. If you look even at people's homes, they're not habitable. The roofs are blown off. You know, the port, which, which is the main core activity of the area, has been, you know, quite destroyed as a result of this. We're also hearing that villages which were literally on the path of the cyclone have also been devastated. The only thing is that the authorities have not been able to carry out a full assessment, just to paint the picture in terms of the scale, in terms of human loss and also the devastation that was caused to, you know, residents and, you know, institutions around there.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And how are the authorities responding and getting help into the area?

[Richard Kagoi]

It's really difficult because at the moment, the national response has just been focused on the town of Temasena. They are just using whatever they can, you know, at their disposal with rescue and emergency services just been mobilized around the city, trying to reach as many people as they can. The only challenge is that roads have been destroyed, you know, major, major roads. So access is actually very difficult. And even for those that have been aff, even getting relief supplies to them, food, water and medicine has really been quite difficult. So that's why actually the president appealed for international support just to help them with visa process.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Richard Kagoi now we're going to talk about all things AI, artificial intelligence, a subject about which vast numbers of words are written every week. So many that it's hard for most of us to work out what to think. Will AI lead to the end of the world or. Or will it make most of our lives much better? Well, one particular article this week seems to have struck a chord with more than 70 million views and counting. It's by someone called Matt Schumer, the chief executive of an AI company. And he's warning of the profound impact AI is already having on many jobs, including in the field of AI. Essentially, AI can do those jobs just as well or better and much, much faster. And it'll start doing them not in 10 or 20 years, but one. So how alarmed should we be? Stephanie Hare is presenter of AI Decoded at the BBC and broadcasts and writes on all things tech. She's been telling James Menendez why she's not too worried by the letter.

[Stephanie Hare]

You can tell that he used AI, which he has acknowledged, by the way, to write this letter. So it's really, really long, first of all, which is like a telltale mark, you know, a human who had to pass this through an actual editor would have been told, you know, lose 50%. So it's long, it's bulky, it's in the listicle style that we're used to reading when we're told, you know, here's the 10 things you need to do to get a beach body for summer. Right. So you can go immediately down to the bottom of the article and see where the, where the cell is. And his solutions for any of your AI anxiety are as follows. One more AI. He wants you to sign up for a paid version of a tool, $20 a month, he says. Two, spend an hour a day using AI to build things for the next six months. The payoff, he promises you, is that you will then understand what's happening with AI better than 99% of people around you. Which personally I think you could get a lot more bang for your buck doing something for an hour a day for six months and, you know, save that $20 a month. There are ways that you can be using AI in your life and experimenting with it that are not so hysterical and breathless as what you're going to read in this article. So what's interesting is why did it go viral?

[Jake Kwon]

Yeah, well, why do you think it's.

[Justin Rowlatt]

Got so much traction?

[Stephanie Hare]

Well, I think we're in this period very much like in US politics of flood the zone when it comes to the AI industry. So they've got to keep the party going because loads of people have invested in AI. Right. It's just enormous eye watering sums of money and it really hasn't delivered the return on investment that they need as investors and as companies to keep this going. So that's why people are worried that there's a bubble that could burst and whether or not that would percolate into the wider economy. So that's reason one that I think it's gone so viral is people are like, makes sense for me. Is there an AI bubble or an AI apocalypse, which is it's coming for our jobs. We're all going to need to be on universal basic income. When is it coming? He's giving you a nice little timeline there. He's riffing on previous people who've written essays like this.

[Justin Rowlatt]

Yeah, but is that basic diagnosis wrong.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Though, that it is going to do.

[Justin Rowlatt]

A lot of our jobs for us? I mean, that was my takeaway.

[Stephanie Hare]

It's going to do a lot of tasks for people, but it's not going to be taking everybody's job and it's definitely not going to be doing it in this sort of short Even to medium term time frame that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned about in his 50,000 word essay two weeks ago. There's a habit of people writing these essays and then people engage with them and it's all very exciting, but we have to actually look at what's happening out in the world. You've got 8 billion people on this planet. I guarantee you that the majority of them are not even using AI today, including white collar workers around the world. That's just not happening. So it might be happening in Silicon Valley, but it's not happening around the world. So just that's point one for us all to calm down. Point two, it can do some things really well, but it also does a lot of things not so well. And right now companies can't take the risk on it getting things wrong. Right, because they've got liability risks. They have to train everybody else. They're doing a lot of stages at the moment where they're still experimenting and trying to figure out where is AI actually useful and where is it not?

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Stephanie Hare. Finally, the American actor James Van De Beek has died at the age of 48 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. He played the title character in the popular drama Dawson's Creek alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams. Lee Milner has been looking back at his life. For many people. James Van Der Beek was one of the defining faces of late 90s television. You're Dawson. Dawson. Yeah, I know we met before.

[Stephanie Hare]

I'm Jen.

[Justin Rowlatt]

Oh, the granddaughter from New York.

[Olga Evshina]

Okay.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Born in Connecticut, he found fame at just 21 playing Dawson Leary in Dawson's Creek. His intense eye contact and emotional speeches made him the teen heartthrob when the show first aired in 1998.

[Olga Evshina]

Go.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

I'm telling you, before I take it all back, alright?

[Olga Evshina]

Just go.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Nearly three decades later, his famous cry face is still one of the Internet's most iconic memes. After his teen drama days, he took on a mix of roles from big Hollywood films like Varsity Blues.

[Jake Kwon]

This is your opportunity.

[Justin Rowlatt]

Playing football in West Canaan may have.

[Jake Kwon]

Been the opportunity of your lifetime, but.

[Olga Evshina]

I don't want your life to comedy.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Roles, including appearances in shows like Overcompensating. Taking to social media to announce his death, his wife, Kimberly Van De Beek, wrote on Instagram that the star passed peacefully and met his final days with courage, faith and grace. The father of six revealed in 2024 he had bowel cancer. Since his diagnosis, he's used his platform to promote cancer screening. A life spent on screen across decades, ending at just 48. Lee Milner, Emily Longeretta from Variety magazine told us more about James Van Der Beek and how the role he created on Dawson's Creek was so important to the era defining TV show.

[Emily Longeretta]

James Van Der Beek is best known for playing Dawson Leary and the show was built around him. And the creator, Kevin Williamson has said many times, you know, he told one to tell the story of his life and Dawson was based on him and he had to find the right person to do that. And James immediately stepped into that role and broke through and became such a mainstay in so many TVs and so many living rooms around the world. He took this character that was not, you know, a jock, was not the cool kid in high school and made him lovable and this filmmaker and someone that people fell in love with and that was not afraid to be emotional. Something that a lot of men on tv, especially young men on tv, it's frowned upon. And James Van Der Beek was able to do that with such eloquence and his emotion and connection and authenticity really came through the screen as Dawson and really catapulted his career. You know, instead of just being a 90s heartthrob, he ended up going on to do many, many TV shows and films and he became, you know, one of the mainstays of the entertainment world and something that is why this passing is so devastating for so many.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Emily Longeretta. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail] you can also find us on XBCWorldService. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Holly Smith and the producers were Charles Sanctuary and Stephen Jensen. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Charlotte Gallagher. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Grainger Advertiser]

Looking for a game that's fun, relaxing and gives classic solitaire a fresh twist? Solitaire Clash, spelled C L A S H, brings skill, speed and strategy together in a way that makes every round feel rewarding. It's not just solitaire as you know it. It's solitaire elevated with competitive modes and even the chance to win real cash in the middle of a busy day. It's more important than ever to carve out a moment for yourself. Whether it's during a commute, while waiting for a ride or taking a quick pause to breathe. Solitaire Clash offers a simple, satisfying escape. A couple fast rounds can calm your mind, challenge your focus, and give you that little boost you didn't realize you needed. It's perfect for those in between moments familiar enough to jump right in, but dynamic enough to keep things interesting. Each match is quick, skill driven, and packed with that just one more game feeling. So if it's been a while, take a moment to open Solitaire Clash Clash, play a few rounds, unwind and enjoy the fun. And maybe even win a little while you're at it.